Forever
by Manda0610
Summary: Jimmy dies trying to stop Henry, leaving Abby at his mercy. Can she find the strength to fight him?
1. Over

_Author's Note: Greetings, Gentle Reader! Okay, I want to make this clear: I am Team Jimmy ALL THE WAY. But after watching the finale, I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened had it been Abby and Henry at the end, so I decided to figure it out._

_Also, I will probably add more to this, I just sort of wanted to get a feel for what people would think of this. For all my big talk, I'm very sensitive when it comes to my writing. It's important to me that people like it. So let me know what you think, if you would! _

_Thanks, and enjoy!_

_-Manda._

Over

Henry thought about Abby as he walked back to the house. Jimmy had agreed to sign the confession, but only if he could see Abby one last time. Henry didn't blame him in the least for this request. Abby was beautiful, who could blame a man for wanting her to be the last thing he saw on the earth? And Jimmy deserved to hear her confess that she'd loved Henry all these years from her own mouth. Sad, really, how she'd pretended with Jimmy all those years, when it was Henry she really loved. No matter, that would all be put right soon.

He couldn't help but be pleased with the way it had all turned out. Dad had thought he was crazy for wanting to keep Jimmy alive. Henry smiled smugly to himself; it had worked out just the way it should have. It was a good idea—his idea—to let Jimmy live. And now the payoff was finally here, just as he'd always known it would be. Henry had someone to pin the murders on, and he got Abby, all to himself, forever.

Abby. He whispered her name, inhaling deeply in contentment. He loved everything about her. He loved how she refused to be a victim, how she'd fought to stay alive, even when that meant fighting him. He didn't hold it against her—she didn't understand yet. But she would. In just a few hours she'd truly be _his. _He couldn't wait to tell her everything: how he'd cared for Trish, but could never bring himself to love her; how every time he kissed her, he'd imagined it was Abby in his arms. He couldn't wait to hold her, the way he always should have been.

His turn had finally come.

--

Abby lay on the bed, exhausted but unable to sleep, all her tears cried out, contemplating the whole horrific week. How had this happened? How could she have been so stupid to think she could come back here and it all be the same? She sighed deeply, feeling helpless.

Suddenly, the door opened and closed again softly. A few moments later, the bed lowered as someone sat on it. Abby didn't bother to turn over; she knew who it was. Henry lay a hand on her head and played with her hair softly.

"I just want things to be the way they were. Before all of this," she whispered.

"They will be. Jimmy agreed to sign a full confession. It's all working out, just like I promised," he replied. She could hear the smile in his voice. "But he won't do it unless I let him say goodbye to you."

"I can't."

"You have to," he murmured. Then he got up. "I'll wait for you downstairs."

For several minutes she just lay there, considering not going down at all. Then she remembered the nail.

It was a chance she had to take, both for herself and Jimmy.

--

Henry watched Abby approach Jimmy and waited for her to tell him how she loved Henry.

Instead, she apologized for leaving. That wasn't so unthinkable, Jimmy probably wouldn't have pined the way he did had she said goodbye and ended it outright.

"I thought about calling everyday," she whispered. Henry got a little angry there, the remembered this was Abby. She didn't want Jimmy to die knowing the truth. She knew he'd at least feel he was doing it for something real if she lied to him. That was honorable. Sort of like how he'd lied to Trish about wanting her to at least have her dream wedding before dying for his cause.

But he had to admit, he wasn't at all prepared for the passionate kiss that followed. Something snapped inside of him, made him reach out and yank her away. And when she said she loved Jimmy, that had been the end of his restraint, and he slapped her roughly. He regretted it the second she hit the ground and tried to help her up.

He still believed she loved him even after she rammed the screwdriver into his foot and ran out the door.

She wasn't ready to believe it, she couldn't let go. That was okay, he'd help her come around. She just needed coaxing.

That's what he was telling himself as he grabbed the boarding knife and took off after her.

--

Abby ran, praying Henry had followed her instead of staying to finish Jimmy. She heard his footsteps pounding after her and sped up. He finally caught her at the cliff.

She felt her resolve crack just a little as he broke down, telling her how much he loved her and couldn't live without her. Him throwing the boarding knife almost made her believe he could really change. He didn't want to hurt her, he needed her help. Then she thought of her father, and Nikki, and everyone else he'd killed. She thought of Jimmy.

"I don't want you!" she screamed. The look on his face almost broke her heart. He was still her best friend, she couldn't make herself hate him for what he'd become. She didn't have anymore time to think about it, though, because a split second later Jimmy tackled him and they both went tumbling off the cliff. Momentarily shocked, she just stood there, staring after them. Then she ran down to the rocky beach.

She ran to Jimmy first. He was knocked out by the fall. Tapping his face lightly, she tried to wake him up. He opened his eyes for a few moments, smiled weakly, then closed his eyes again. Her heart stopped as he went completely still.

"No. No no no no no..." He wasn't dead. He couldn't be gone. They couldn't come together after all this time, just to be torn apart again. She shook him, lightly at first, then harder. "Jimmy!" she cried. "Wake up, wake up...come on..." Nothing. She heard footsteps behind her but didn't turn. There was no point.

"Abby," Henry said softly. "I'm...I'm sorry." She turned and looked up at him. Henry gazed back down at her, looking as helpless as she felt.

She turned back to Jimmy. Henry knelt beside her, taking her in his arms and pulling her up. She didn't fight him. All of her resolve was gone. Any fight she had left evaporated from her body.

It was over.

--

Henry paced the kitchen nervously. Abby was still in her room. She'd been up there for four hours now. Part of him wanted to go up and check on her, maybe bring up some food.

But no, maybe this was better. He needed time to regroup, figure things out. Taking a deep breath, he sat at the table. Okay, first things first.

Jimmy had died. Not so bad, seeing as Henry had planned on taking care of that anyway. Maybe it was even better—he'd promised Abby no more killing. Now he could truly keep that promise to her.

He'd landed next to the boarding knife. Henry had gone back to plant a few of Jimmy's fingerprints on it, then put it in his hand. Now, if someone came along and found him, they'd assume he'd done it, set the fire, then run off. Maybe he'd fallen off the cliff trying to get away.

That brought Henry to the hardest part: Abby. She'd said she didn't want him. Somewhere inside of him, he knew that she'd never be able to forget that'd he killed everyone she loved.

But she still had him. He wouldn't leave her in her time of need, and she _was _in need. She had no one left in the world now, except Henry. He'd once told her he'd always be there for her, through thick and thin, and he planned on keeping that promise.

Forever.


	2. When

When

_Abby was in the woods. Jimmy was ahead of her, laughing and hiding behind trees. She laughed and ran after him._

_He looked back and smiled her favorite lopsided grin. She smiled back and ran to catch up. _

_But she couldn't. No matter how fast she ran, or how far she got, she couldn't reach him._

"_Jimmy! Wait!" she called out. He turned back once, but the grin was gone. His face was serious._

"_Abby, I love you. Be careful." The words were whispered, but she heard every syllable. She froze in her tracks, then doubled her speed. _

"_No! Don't leave me!" she cried, running to the tree he was standing under. Abby ran as fast as she could to him, falling to her hands and knees when she got there. She was too late, though; Jimmy was gone. _

_She looked up and saw the Tree of Woe._

--

Abby woke up with a start and looked around. The room was unfamiliar at first...then it all came rushing back—the past week, the past twelve hours—and she wished she hadn't.

Even if the dream wasn't particularly good, Jimmy was there, the only place she'd ever see him again: her dreams.

--

Henry's breath caught as he watched Abby come down the stairs. She never ceased to amaze him with her quiet, unaware grace.

"Hi," he said, smiling. She nodded vaguely in his direction and started wandering around. That's when it occurred to him, she'd never gotten the tour of the house.

"Would you like a tour?" he called after her. "Or maybe something to eat first? I made your favorite: lasagna, with tomato and mozzarella salad," he added.

"I'd rather just get in done and over with, actually," she said flatly, coming back around.

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"No more games, Henry, remember? We both know it's coming, so can we just get it done?" He blinked and shook his head.

"I don't understand. Get what done?"

"Killing me. Both of us know you're going to do it sooner or later, and I don't want to wait around, worrying. Please?" Henry's eyes widened as he crossed the room and took her in his arms. The way she flinched and stiffened almost killed him.

"Abby, I could never do that. I meant it when I said I could never hurt you. You're my home; I didn't go through all of this trouble just to kill you! I love you. I want to be with you forever," he told her, pulling back to look in her eyes and placing one hand on her cheek, caressing it lightly with his thumb. Her eyes searched his for a few long moments, and he lowered his head a few inches. Just as his nose grazed hers, she pulled away roughly.

"I don't believe you," she said. It wasn't in an accusatory tone, just fact: she didn't want to believe it, to let herself feel the emotions he _knew_ were there.

"I know; you're not ready yet. But I'll do anything to prove it to you—I don't care what I have to do, or how long it takes. We have all the time in the world, just the two of us," he said with a small smile, raising his arms and going toward her again. She backed away from him, and he dropped his arms reluctantly.

She needed more time, and he would give it to her. For now.

--

Abby stared at Henry, wondering how it had come to this. Tears burned behind her eyes, threatening to fall. She shook her head minutely, blinking them back defiantly.

"No, I'm not ready. I'll never _be_ ready," she said. "You killed them. Everyone I ever really cared about is gone. Because of you."

"I did it for you! You wanted us to be alone. You...you said it," he said. His eyes probed hers, pleading with her to understand.

"No, I didn't! How on earth could you think I'd _want _this?"

He didn't say anything. Clearly, he hadn't thought it through this far. He couldn't _really _believe this was what she wanted, could he? No...the Henry she knew was still in there somewhere, and _he _knew this wasn't the way she wanted it. He had to be. Henry couldn't be gone; she wouldn't believe it.

"You took my friends and family from me. They're all gone now, because of _you_! I...I don't have anyone left," she choked out, the blasted tears coming back again.

"You have me! Isn't that enough?" he asked.

"You _stole..._my _life,_" she said slowly. "I can _never _go home again, because of you. How could I want you after that?" The look on his face told her she'd cut him, deeply. Then his face went blank, and the monster was back again.

"Because you don't have anyone else. Sooner or later, you'll realize. And I'll wait, for as long as it takes," he replied simply, meeting her gaze with a calmness made her blood run cold

In his mind, it wasn't a question of 'if'; it was a question of 'when'. She couldn't help but wonder if he was right.


End file.
